With 41 pavillions, this 2 week festival gives patrons the opportunity to taste their way through dozens of different culinary delights. Being the longest multicultural festival in the world ( found right here in Canada’s heartbeat), this Winnipeg summer staple is definitely Bucket list worthy. So what exactly is a pavilion? A pavilion represents the community that shares a culture, for example Filipino, Japanese, and Caribbean (to name a few).  The festival generally runs for the first two weeks of August, and it’s jammed packed. The best way to prepare is to grab a guide at your local Liquor mart or head over to their website for a full travel guide.

As a seasoned Folklorama veteran, there are so many ways to enjoy this festival: the entertainment, the food, the music and the drinks! When planning  your passport to the festival, it’s imperative you purchase your tickets in advance online, gone are the days where tickets are readily available at the door, these tickets are hot commodities and you don’t want to get all dolled up for a night out and end up turned away at the door. On average during the week, most pavilions offer 3 showtimes, with minimal travel time in between shows. Here are some helpful tips to help you plan out a successful evening at that festival.

1. It’s important your choose your adventure based on your own palette, are you heading out on the foodie run, the cultural experience or indulging in a VIP tour?  If you ate planning a foodie tour, I would encourage you to follow your tummy. This is a great festival to indulge your palette in diverse foods you may have never had the opportunity to try. Ever wanted to try pão de queijo (cheese bread) from Brazil or Mola Bamiya-a from the South Sudan? Well download your Folklorama Map, and plan your visit based on some of these countries best dishes. If diversifying your palette isn’t enough, how about a new cultural experience? Get your heart beating with Hinode Taiko’s amazing drumming sessions, Punjabs Bhangra dancers and Mexicos Got Talent Show. All of these awe-inspiring performances give you a glimpse of all that sparkles in other cultures. One of my personal favourites: The Brazilian dancers, can someone teach me to dance like that?
2. Base your evening on geographic location: Pavilions are scattered around the city, which is a great way to get out your bubble and explore different neighbourhoods, however that being said travel time between pavilions may not be permitted by foot or bicycle. If you are planning a walking or biking tour, I would plot your pavilions into goole maps, select pedestrian or cycle as your mode of transport and figure out the best routes to optimize your time at each pavilion. If you are traveling by car, again you have to take into consideration distance and the time need at each pavilion for parking, grabbing some sips and bites, maybe doing a little shopping and grabbing a seat before the show starts.
3. If you simple can’t decide which pavilions to pick or just want a little taste of luxury, the VIP tours are for you. Whether walking, cycling, or partying is your idea of a night out, there are a few tour options available. A great way to see a few shows and skip those pesky lines.

Folklorama is a great excuse for a friends night out, a date night or even a family night out. Let the rhythm take you and enjoy a summers night in Winnipeg.